Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos | Sydney + Elena

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography

An engagement session at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is the perfect way to celebrate your love story in one of the most breathtaking natural settings in the Twin Cities. As a Minneapolis–St Paul engagement photographer who loves working with LGBTQ couples, I create a refined, joy-filled experience that honors your relationship with authenticity, artistry, and beauty.

LGBTQ Arboretum Engagement Portraits

Sydney was secretly planning to pop the question to her girlfriend Elena, and hired me to be there to capture the big event. I was there not just to capture the big event, but also capture photos of the two of them throughout the Landscape Arboretum afterward. Sydney planned out everything to a ‘T’, and even brought both their parents along to hide and watch the event too. It was a busy autumn afternoon at the Arb, but we all arrived and hid just in time according to plan.

Sydney + Elena arrived and took a seat on a boulder near the Japanese Garden waterfall. Once Sydney knew we were all in place, she got down on one knee and popped the question. Elena gave a resounding YES with a huge kiss! Then their parents came out of hiding celebrating and cheering them, along with a bottle of champagne for everyone to toast the special day. Once they were finished with their quick celebrations, we headed out to a number of gardens throughout the Arb to capture the two of them in the beautiful landscape together. A sweet little frog even jumped out and sat by them at another waterfall as we were capturing their photos together too.

Thank You!

After their photoshoot, Sydney + Elena came back to my photo studio to choose their favorite portraits as well as design a custom photo album to be used as their engagement guest book. It was absolutely stunning!

Sydney + Elena, thank you so much for working with me for your engagement photography! I had so much fun on your amazing day, and I enjoyed seeing the Arboretum’s gorgeous gardens with you. I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you are considering a MN Landscape Arboretum engagement session, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at additional engagement sessions I photographed at the MN Landscape Arboretum, including a Winter Lights engagement session, a summer engagement session, another summer engagement session, an autumn engagement session, a winter Landscape Arboretum engagement session, another autumn Arboretum engagement session, and even an Arboretum engagement session at the dog park!

Engagement Photographer St Paul MN | Bill + Morgan

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Dog Engagement Photography

Bill + Morgan hired me to photograph their autumn wedding day ceremony and reception. They also decided to include an engagement session as they were hoping in particular to include their sweet pup Newton in some portraits since he would be unable to attend their big day, and he is an important member of the family! So we decided to capture photos of them at Como Park and include little Newton in the fun.

We met up for an engagement session at Como on a beautiful summer afternoon, and Newton was such a champ! He loved being included as they took him on a walk in a new park, and then he hung out patiently and watched his humans get photos taken of themselves together too. We captured their portraits at the Lily Pond area as well as the Hamm Memorial Waterfall near the Como Lakeside Pavilion by Como Lake. The session flew by and we were done before we knew it. I sent a gallery shortly afterward with a number of beautiful photos of Bill + Morgan, as well as portraits including Newton, to cherish forever!

Thank You!

Bill + Morgan, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful engagement portraits! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would like to work with me for your own engagement photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other engagement sessions I photographed too, including a winter Como Park Conservatory engagement session, spring Como Park engagement photos, summer Como Park engagement photos, another summer Como Park engagement session, and even MN Landscape Arboretum winter lights engagement photos!

BONUS 2: Watch this space for Bill + Morgan’s wedding day blog, coming soon!

Engagement Studio Photography | Baylee + Thomas

By Joanna Carina

Engagement Studio Photography

I talked with Baylee one afternoon about how much she wanted to have beautiful photos taken of her and her fiancé Thomas. Thomas had surprised Baylee by proposing to her at the airport when she arrived back into town – in baggage claim no less! We talked about their wedding colors (red and blue) and the plans they were making for their big day. She really wanted some beautiful artwork in their home to remind themselves of each other, and to celebrate joining their lives together. They both really liked the idea of studio portraits so they were more timeless, so they scheduled a session to capture their photos at my studio.

They arrived late one winter morning for their photoshoot, and were both so excited to capture their photos together as a couple. We worked together to capture some cute photos of the two of them, and then we met up afterward so they could choose their favorite photos. They ended up designing a wall canvas triptych as well as ordering a handful of other fine art prints to frame and enjoy around their home.

Thank You!

Baylee + Thomas, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful studio engagement portraits! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture your own studio engagement photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other engagements I photographed too, including another studio engagement session, Como Park Conservatory engagement photos, and MN Landscape Arboretum winter lights engagement photos!

Rogers Lake Park Engagement Photos | James + Sam

By Joanna Carina

Rogers Lake Park Engagement Photography

James + Sam had chosen to work with me for their wedding photography, coming up in 2024. They were also really excited to include engagement photos beforehand. They chose to work at Rogers Lake Park in Mendota Heights MN. The park is where James had proposed to Samantha the year before. James even told me the story of his proposal, saying he was so nervous to ask Sam, and had bagged out of a few proposal options prior to finally asking her at this park. They especially wanted to photograph around the willow tree in the park, as that was where James finally proposed.

The day arrived with perfect weather. We opted for a morning photoshoot, so the park was totally empty. We were able to wander around, enjoying the trails, dock and water’s edge. We even photographed them on the skate park ramps and benches scattered around the park. They had so much fun, and agreed (as most clients do) that it really does get easier to be photographed once you try it out. They loved their photos, and now feel much more comfortable going into the photography on their big day. I’d call that a success!

Thank You!

James + Sam, thank you so much for working with me for your engagement photography! I had so much fun working with you two. And I’m so excited for your big day in 2024!

If you are considering Minneapolis engagement, proposal or anniversary photos, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at some other engagement sessions I photographed, including a waterfall engagement session, a spring engagement session, a winter engagement session, another spring engagement session, a Como Conservatory engagement session, a summer engagement session, another summer engagement session, an anniversary portrait session, and even a Como Town Amusement Park engagement session!

Landscape Arboretum Winter Lights Engagement Photography | Jackie + John

By Joanna Carina

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography

Jackie + John were so excited for their 2023 MN Landscape Arboretum wedding. Their wedding concept includes stars and galaxies, so they wanted lights and stars included in their theme and decor. When they considered taking engagement photos, they loved the idea of the Winter Lights show at the Arboretum to reflect that beautiful stars and lights theme. I loved it too, so we made plans for an amazing session!

Winter Lights Arboretum Portraits

We made reservations for a beautiful mild winter evening at the Arb. The Winter Lights show was absolutely stunning! We walked through the maze of lights, and had tons of fun capturing the two of them enjoying their time as well. Luckily, the day was relatively warm, and the moon and stars were out – everything was so gorgeous. We walked the entire maze of lights and spent time with all of the beautiful sculptures and light artwork. We even went back to a few of them multiple times so we could make sure to capture several options for them. When the photos were ready, they were blown away and so excited by their photos.

Thank You!

Jackie + John, thank you so much for working with me for your engagement photography! I had so much fun enjoying the Arboretum’s gorgeous Winter Lights display with you. I am so excited for your big day coming up later this year!

If you are considering a MN Landscape Arboretum engagement session, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at additional engagement sessions I photographed at the MN Landscape Arboretum, including a summer engagement session, another summer engagement session, an autumn engagement session, a winter Landscape Arboretum engagement session, another autumn Arboretum engagement session, and even an Arboretum engagement session at the dog park!

Como Sunken Garden Proposal Photography | Sam + Robyn

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photography

I received a call one afternoon from Sam. He lived in North Carolina, and he and his girlfriend Robyn were planning to travel to Minnesota in December to visit with Sam’s extended family. While on their trip, he planned to propose to Robyn, and he loved the Como Conservatory Sunken Garden venue. I was so excited to work with them!

Sam decided to bring Robyn to the Conservatory before they headed out to dinner in Minneapolis. I was there early, and when they arrived, I pretended to be a random person photographing flowers. Sam walked Robyn to the end of the Sunken Garden and proposed at the top of the landing. Robyn was shocked! She stood with mouth agape for quite awhile, then reached over and gave Sam a big kiss! They were so adorable! They finally turned toward me and I yelled out “surprise!” and we all had a good laugh. We then had extra time afterward for more photos of them inside the Sunken Garden, and then headed outdoors for some photos along the grounds of Como Park before they headed off to their celebratory dinner.

Thank You!

Sam + Robyn, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful proposal photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture Como Conservatory proposal photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other proposals I photographed at Como Park too, including an autumn Como Conservatory proposal, a spring Como proposal, a summer Como Park proposal, another spring Como Park proposal, and an autumn Conservatory proposal.

Sunken Garden Como Park Proposal Photography | Khoi + Linh

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photography

I received a call one afternoon from Khoi. He lived in Florida, and he and his girlfriend Linh were planning to travel to Minnesota in October. While on their trip, he planned to propose to Linh, and he loved the look of a Como Conservatory proposal that he found online. I was so excited to work with them!

Khoi wanted everything to remain absolutely secret until the big moment. So he brought Linh there one afternoon while they were sight-seeing around the area a few days before their friend’s wedding. I even pretended to be just a random person photographing flowers until he walked her to the end of the Sunken Garden and proposed at the top of the landing. She was so surprised! She took a moment with mouth open in shock, then nodded her head furiously in a “YES!” It was so wonderful! Linh even wiped away tears of joy as Khoi led her back down the path and I introduced myself to her, and his whole plan was revealed. We then had extra time afterward for more photos of them inside the Sunken Garden, and then headed outdoors for some photos along the grounds of Como Park before they headed off to a celebratory dinner.

Thank You!

Khoi + Linh, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful proposal photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture Como Conservatory proposal photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other proposals I photographed at Como Park too, including an autumn Como Conservatory proposal, a spring Como proposal, a summer Como Park proposal, a winter Como Park proposal, and another spring Como Park proposal.

Waterfall Engagement Photography | Katie + Tom

By Joanna Carina

Waterfall Minneapolis Engagement Photography

Katie + Tom were engaged and decided they wanted engagement photos. We talked about ideas on the phone for a bit, and I learned more about their love of nature and all things outdoors. We decided to head over to Willow River, just outside of Minneapolis, to capture them hiking in nature as well as spending time in the gorgeous waterfall. They loved the idea!

After a few rescheduling dates due to crazy Minnesota weather (as well as smog from wildfires) we were finally able to meet for their session on a perfect late summer day. The crowds had died down since the busy summer months, and they were able to spend time doing what they loved best – hiking and spending time together! We worked together for about an hour or so until the sun gave us a spectacular sunset.

After their session, they visited my St Paul studio to review their photos and choose their favorites. They settled on a photo album of their favorite portraits, along with a stunning matted print. Everything was so beautiful, and they were so excited when they saw the final artwork in real life! As usual, all of my artwork is crafted in Italy by Graphistudio, and it was just spectacular.

Thank You!

Katie + Tom, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful engagement photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I hope you love your album and artwork!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at some other outdoor engagement sessions I photographed, including a spring Como Park engagement session, a Rogers Lake Park engagement session, a winter engagement session, another spring engagement session, another winter engagement session, a summer engagement session, another summer engagement session, an anniversary portrait session, and even a Como Town Amusement Park engagement session!

If you would love engagement photography featuring hiking, rivers, lakes or waterfalls, contact me soon!

Como Conservatory Engagement Photography | Angela + Ryland

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Engagement Photos

Angela + Ryland hired me to capture their beautiful wedding day. They also wanted to work with me for engagement photos too. I was so excited that they settled on Como Park engagement portraits. It’s such a beautiful location, and one of my favorite parks in the Cities!

Como Conservatory Engagement Portraits

The day came and the weather was perfect. We had so much fun wandering around the beautiful gardens, ponds and trees, and finding fun spots to photograph them. We were able to spend time in front of the Conservatory, as well as both the Frog Pond as well as the new Lily Pond, both featuring beautiful waterfalls. Even the cloud cover was perfect that day (instead of the bright full sun) so I was able to capture the Conservatory sitting stately in the background behind them in many of their photos.

Thank You!

Angela + Ryland, thank you so much for working with me for your engagement photography! I had so much fun working with you for your engagement photos. And I am so excited for your big day, coming up soon!

If you are considering Conservatory engagement photos, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out Angela + Ryland’s St Paul Cathedral and Como Park wedding photos too!

EXTRA BONUS: Be sure to take a look at some other engagement sessions I photographed at Como Park, including a spring engagement session, a winter engagement session, another spring engagement session, another winter engagement session, a summer engagement session, another spring engagement session, an anniversary portrait session, and even a Como Town Amusement Park engagement session!

Be sure to check out Angela + Ryland’s slideshow too!

Stone Arch Bridge Engagement Photography | Olivia + Mi

By Joanna Carina

Mill Ruins Park Engagement Session

Olivia contacted me looking for beautiful engagement photos with her fiancé Mi. She mentioned loving the riverfront by the Stone Arch Bridge as well as old iron and stonework, so they opted for Mill Ruins Park. I absolutely love that location! It is filled with old ironwork and stone down by the historic riverfront of Minneapolis, not to mention the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge itself. We were so lucky to have a beautifully spectacular day for their summer engagement session!

Mill Ruins Engagement Photos

The day arrived, and we had perfect weather and light traffic. The two of them had such a great time – joking, laughing and having a blast, almost as if I wasn’t even around. We wandered around the park enjoying the beautiful river scenery while photographing away. The time was up before we even knew it! We visited my studio after their session so they could choose from the “best-of-the-best” from their session. They ended up choosing a number of beautiful heirloom matted prints for framing and gifts.

Thank You!

Olivia + Mi, thank you so much for working with me as your Stone Arch Bridge engagement photographer! I had so much fun working with you to create your beautiful photos. I hope you enjoy your gorgeous Graphistudio fine art prints. Best wishes on your Dominican Republic wedding next year!

BONUS: Take a look at other engagement sessions I’ve photographed too, including another Mill Ruins Park engagement session, a Stone Arch Bridge engagement session, a Rogers Lake Park engagement session, a waterfall engagement session, Father Hennepin Bluffs engagement photos, Saint Anthony Main engagement pictures, Stone Arch Bridge engagement photos, another Stone Arch Bridge engagement session, a same-sex engagement session, and another Father Hennepin Bluffs engagement session.

If you are considering Mill Ruins Park or Stone Arch Bridge engagement or couple photos, I would love to work with you! Contact me soon!

Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos | Sydney + Elena

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography

LGBTQ Arboretum Engagement Portraits

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Engagement Photographer St Paul MN | Bill + Morgan

Como Park Dog Engagement Photography

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Engagement Studio Photography | Baylee + Thomas

Engagement Studio Photography

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Rogers Lake Park Engagement Photos | James + Sam

Rogers Lake Park Engagement Photography

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Landscape Arboretum Winter Lights Engagement Photography | Jackie + John

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography

Winter Lights Arboretum Portraits

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Como Sunken Garden Proposal Photography | Sam + Robyn

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photography

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Sunken Garden Como Park Proposal Photography | Khoi + Linh

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photography

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Waterfall Engagement Photography | Katie + Tom

Waterfall Minneapolis Engagement Photography

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Como Conservatory Engagement Photography | Angela + Ryland

Como Park Engagement Photos

Como Conservatory Engagement Portraits

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Stone Arch Bridge Engagement Photography | Olivia + Mi

Mill Ruins Park Engagement Session

Mill Ruins Engagement Photos

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